The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-04
TRIBUTES TO PROF. LOOMS.
A Memorial Adopted by the Teachers of the
Public Schools of Indianapolis.

At q meeting Of the public school teachers
held yesterday morning. brief addresses were
made by Superintendent Jones, Mr. A. c. Short
ridge, former superintendent Miss Cropsey,
and Mr. C. E. Emmerich on the life and charac-
ter of the late Professor Loonis, and the follow
ing memorial was adopted:
The long and intimate connection of Prof
Geo. B. Loomis with the public schools of Indian
apolis calls for tribute of respect to his Nom
DRY from the teachers of this city. Prof. Loomis
assumed the position of supernt endent of
musical instruction in the year 1866. IN the in
of H the ssTm Service
tending period of seventeen and
half consecutive years. is sufficient evidence
of the faithfulness and success of mis- work.
Musical culture and musical taste in this city
probably owe more to him than to any other
one person, perhaps than to all others, for he
prepared the soil and sowed the seed in the
mind of the young.
while in no sense q great musician, in the
professional meaning of that term, he appre-
hended clearly the best methods necessary to
effective part of school instruction from the
primary MP to the high-schoo With little to
guide him. he worked out these methods by his
own genius, the genius of industry and good
common sense. At the time that he entered
upon his wo. K here, no well-recognized system
of teaching music SO as to rank with other sub
jects In educational value had been developed,
either here or elsewhere. Movements in this
direction had been but tentative and desultory.
Professor LOOMS worked out his methods
experImentally in the schoo-room, and then
emb bodied them in graded series of musical
textbooks, whose excellence and fine adaptation
to the end in view have been fully demonstrated
by long use, both in this and in other cities
1T Is not. however, merely in his professional
character that he has left lasting impression
upon the mind aud hearts of all who have been
either directly or remotely connected with our
city schools for the past twenty years He pos
sessed many qualities in any man, and
especially so In any musician. His life was an
exemplifcation of the ideal musician. He was
always in tune. No harshness discord ever
emanated from his lips or his presence.
His entrance into a school-room not only
brought concord of sweet sounds, but it
and the soothing influence of imperturbable
temper. No teacher or pupil ever had reason to
dread his arrival.
'sHis memory of persons was remarkable.
Hundreds of children in all parts of the city
were accustomed TO his CHEEKY greeting. as he
addressed them on the rostrum or wherever he
happened to meet them OF the thousands of
pupils and the hundreds. almost thousands. of
teachers who during his long term of service,
received instruction from him. it IS not proba-
BILE that one has a disaRreeable memory con-
nectad with Prof Loomis
"With all this and above all he was universal
" recognized n modest and sincere Christian.
The influence of sucn a character upon charac-
ter In the susceptible period of school life Is like
a perpetual benedcton, and its value outweighs
even the high worth of his professional walk.
I'VE the assembled teachers of the 1ndianap-
OILS scnoois, conscious or the great deot which
so many of us owe to him faithful in
structor in the days gone by. desire to place on
record this glad tribute to his high qualities
teacher, and also to testify our great re-
spect and reverence for him as q man.
Being destitute of aggressive snowy charac-
ter;stics. his value was little known outside the
circle of his personal friends or of those who
associated with him in his official relations.
The current of his influence flowed gently. but
it ran deep. The good effects of his life and
work may not in all cases. be readily traced,
but it is no fiattery nor exageration to say that
it possible to eradicate from our schools
and from the social life of the city all that has
been contributed by our departed friend, the loss
would be deeply and universally felt"